Dublin flight halted after pilot found to be ‘considerably above’ alcohol limits

A flight out of Dublin was stopped from taking off after inspectors carrying out random checks found one pilot with alcohol levels “considerably over” the limit. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) undertook a random inspection on 17 September 2024 at Dublin Airport, Ireland’s busiest airport which sees more than 30m passengers pass through its hub annually. The IAA inspectors boarded a cargo aircraft flown by an unnamed international cargo operator and sought a copy of the pilot licences and the aircraft's mandatory documents. The inspectors then carried out a routine breathalyser test for alcohol, which revealed that one of the pilots had blood alcohol levels considerably over the prescribed limits. The pilot was therefore “not in a fit condition to operate the aircraft,” the IAA said. The inspectors then immediately instructed that the aircraft would not take off and directed that the pilot be removed from the cockpit and prevented from flying the plane. The IAA issued proceedings in the Dublin District Court and reported the incident to the US Federal Aviation Administration, which has in turn said the pilot’s license has been revoked. “The IAA will continue to conduct unannounced checks on foreign aircraft operating in Irish airports and conduct breathalyser tests on the flight crew, which includes pilots and cabin crew,” the authority added. Flights can often be delayed or cancelled if members of the crew turn up to work with too much alcohol in their system, often leading to losing their jobs.<br/>